Refrigerant Priority Control for Heating and Hot Water Air Conditioners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners face challenges in ensuring reliable indoor heating operations while simultaneously generating hot water, as they often result in inadequate refrigerant supply to indoor units when the hot water generator is in operation, leading to potential cold winds.
Innovation Solution
A control method that dynamically adjusts the opening degree of the hot water expansion valve based on the pressure and temperature conditions, ensuring that refrigerant is prioritized for indoor units by opening the valve to a minimum when indoor units are operational and to a maximum when they are not, thereby maintaining sufficient refrigerant supply to prevent cold winds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If refrigerant is supplied to both indoor units and hot water generator simultaneously, then hot water generation efficiency is improved, but indoor heating reliability deteriorates due to insufficient refrigerant supply to indoor units
Solution Approach 1:
The hot water expansion valve is made dynamically adjustable to control refrigerant flow to the hot water generator. The valve opening degree is varied based on real-time detection of refrigerant pressure and indoor unit operation status, allowing the system to dynamically allocate refrigerant between hot water generation and indoor heating needs
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control mechanism is implemented where the control unit continuously monitors refrigerant pressure at the compressor discharge side and the operational status of indoor units. Based on this feedback information, the control unit adjusts the hot water expansion valve opening degree to maintain appropriate refrigerant distribution, preventing both cold winds in indoor units and ensuring hot water generation efficiency
2Productivity
If hot water expansion valve is opened to maximum degree for hot water generation, then hot water generation capacity is improved, but refrigerant supply to indoor units becomes insufficient causing cold winds
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of refrigerant pressure and indoor unit operation status before refrigerant distribution occurs. When indoor units are detected to be operating and refrigerant pressure is insufficient, the control unit preemptively restricts the hot water expansion valve opening degree to minimum, preventing the harmful effect of cold winds before they can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The opening degree parameter of the hot water expansion valve is changed based on detected conditions. The valve opening degree is set to minimum when indoor units are operating with insufficient refrigerant pressure, and can be increased to maximum when indoor units are not operating or refrigerant pressure is sufficient, thus adjusting refrigerant distribution to prevent cold winds while maintaining hot water generation capacity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures reliable indoor heating and efficient hot water generation by maintaining adequate refrigerant distribution, preventing cold winds and optimizing the use of refrigerant during simultaneous heating and hot water generation operations.
Implementation Method 1
a first expansion valve to control a flow rate of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a compressor to compress the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
a water heater to heat water by the refrigerant compressed by the compressor
Implementation Method 4
a four-way valve to reverse a direction of the refrigerant
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air conditioner controls supply of refrigerant so that the refrigerant is first supplied to one or more indoor units in operation from an outdoor unit, and is then supplied to a hot water generator, thereby sufficiently supplying refrigerant to the indoor units in heating operation even when the hot water generator is operated.